Corporate brand expressions in business-to-business companies' websites: Evidence from Brazil and India

Abstract

In the business-to-business (B2B) domain, the corporate website is an effective platform for communicating the corporate brand (CB) features (e.g., personality, values). Despite the growing importance of websites as the primary means for corporate communication, research on the relevant dimensions for online corporate branding expression is sparse. This study examines the expressions of CBs on the websites of B2B companies in two emerging markets — Brazil and India. In addition, the study investigates whether the dimensions of CB have an effect on the company's financial performance. Findings highlight the following items for CB expressions in the website: CB values; CB personality; sustainability in the CB; CB heritage, and company demographics. There are similarities in the CB expressions in India and Brazil. In addition, the findings show that higher levels of strength in the expression of the CB in the website lead to higher levels of financial performance. Managerial recommendations and avenues for future research are presented.